What is a Data Breach?
A data breach is a security violation that involves the unauthorized access or theft of personal information. The damage it can cause to a business can be devastating, not to mention the potential consequences for individuals.
There are three major types of breaches. These include accidental data leaks, intentional breaches, and unintentional breaches. It’s important for companies to create a thorough disaster recovery plan. This includes a robust set of steps to ensure a smooth transition in the event of a data breach.
An accidental data leak occurs when an employee accidentally deletes or misplaces data. This can range from forgotten passwords to lost devices. If the leak is unnoticed, a criminal can use the stolen data to commit identity fraud.
A deliberate data breach, on the other hand, is the result of a hacker or malicious insider attempting to gain unauthorized access to a system. Examples of these cases are the breach of Yahoo and Equifax.
An intentional data breach, on the other hand, usually relates to a hacker taking advantage of a known software bug or flaw. In the case of Equifax, the hackers accessed underlying software that supported the company’s website.
Several examples of high risk cyber security breaches occur each year, and these often have a dramatic effect on individuals, businesses, and organizations alike. For instance, the Equifax breach in 2017 affected approximately 145.5 million Americans.
Aside from the fact that it is a massive data breach, the incident reveals the importance of protecting sensitive data. Sensitive data is typically passwords, credit card numbers, financial records, medical records, and other confidential information.